Univision Shines Light on the Changing Face of Media & the Power of Hispanic Advertising

Now that you’ve had a chance to catch your breath from the whirlwind of Advertising Week, we would like to recap the insights we shared to the hundreds of marketing, advertising and communications executives in attendance.

Lisa McCarthy executive vice president of Univision’s Client Development Group was a panelist at the Reuters Leadership Roundtable. In a wide-ranging discussion about media and where it’s headed, the panelists acknowledged that innovations in the industry are occurring at such a rapid pace that advertisers are sometimes flying blind as they make choices about which media to buy.

As the panelists discussed the importance of TV amid new technologies and devices, McCarthy said that the power of TV is unparalleled. She noted that Univision serves as a lifeline to the Hispanic community, sharing examples about how viewers frequently call the stations for information regarding to healthcare and education.

Later that day, Univision hosted the panel “Will Latinos Elect Our Next President?” Moderated by Jordan Fabian of Univision News, the panelists, including Univision’s Chiqui Cartagena, vice president of Corporate Marketing, asserted that there’s a good chance Latinos could be a swing vote in the 2012 election.

Cartagena said that there will be 21 million eligible Latino voters in 2012, and that 16% of this population can be considered swing voters – Hispanics will play a more important role than ever before.

The following day, Univision hosted “Culture – the New Creative Brief” featuring ad execs from Alma DDB, Ogilvy & Mather, Kraft Foods and La comunidad who discussed the importance of culturally relevant advertising. Each of the panelists showcased their Hispanic creative which ranged from State Farm’s ads featuring Sofia Vergara and Carlos Ponce, to the Kraft campaign which emphasized the importance of family.

At the New York Times CEO Forum, NYT media columnist David Carr moderated a discussion on the convergence of communications and technology, and its impact on consumer behavior and content consumption. The panelists all argued that the deployment of new digital technology is forcing media companies and marketers to reinvent themselves and their businesses.

The almost infinite amount of content coming from digital sources is a challenge for traditional broadcasters, said Cesar Conde, president of Univision Networks. But, as McCarthy stated earlier in the week, networks continue to have loyal viewers. “That trust still means something,” Conde said. Univision’s content lives across multiple platforms so that our audience can have access whenever and wherever they want it.

Rounding out the week, Univision sponsored a Leadership Breakfast that divulged insights on the bilingual Hispanic consumer. Moderated by Advertising Age’s Laurel Wentz, the panel was made up of Martine Reardon, executive vice president of Marketing & Advertising at Macy’s; Tony Pace, CMO of SubwayFranchise Advertising Fund Trust, and former New York Yankee Bernie Williams.

In speaking about acculturation among Hispanics, Bernie Williams said, “being Hispanic in this country means being in the crossroads of two cultures and having the freedom to pick and choose what you want.”

Reardon and Pace also discussed how advertising to Hispanics has to speak to them culturally. Reardon stated that culturally-relevant advertising, messaging and in-store visuals is the best way of telling Hispanics: “We get it. We recognize you.”